installing alternate headlight switch

[johnkadner]

hello everyone!

 since my alternator isn't working anymore, i would like to put as less a load on the battery as possible, so i would like to put on an alternate headlight switch, one that would turn the lights completely off.

  i bought a 20 amp switch and an inline fuse connector, and then looked under the headlight, and there are 6? wires running out of the light.  i guess i could look at the wiring diagram and figure this out, but i thought i would post here first and see if anybody else has put a switch in and if they had any suggestions.  

  also, where's a good location to mount the switch?


   HAPPY TRAILS!

[sdinino]

The wiring diagram shows three to the headlight (yellow, green and black). The yellow is for high beam, green is for low beam and black is ground. I have no idea why you have six wires. Are they all different colors, or are they pairs of the same color?

[johnkadner]

there are two yellow, two black, and one green

[Lucky]

the blue wire with the black stripe that goes to the headlight switch would be the best wire to use your switch on, it will cut power to the headlight (as well as the dash lights)

this wire runs from the push button start switch to the highbeam/low beam switch.

alternatly, you could just pull the headlight fuse, or put the switch at the head fuse..

where to mount it on an 82... good question.

BTW, when i was having stator problems, i did notice that pulling the fuse helped the bike start, even though just pushing the switch disconnects the headlight temporarily

--Lucky

[QBS]

A cheap and easy way to defeat the headlight, tail light, and instrument lights is to simply pull out the headlight fuse.  Cheers.

[George R. Young]

You might also consider using the kill switch which is already there and not doing too much.

[Lucky]

George, your a freaking genious! i'm going out to do that right now1

[Lucky]

SO EASY!!!
I did it in about 1/2 hour.
there are 2 red/white wires to the kill switch. I cut the SWITCHED wire and the blue/black (not the blue/white as previously noted) at the start button and soldered it to the cut wire going to the switch.
I skinned back the always hot wire going to the kill switch and soldered the cut red/white wire to it. this way, the kill switch is bypassed and the headlight circut still has power.

one question.  does anyone know where the gold "L" bracket goes? (inside the switch housing) it's in my pocket right now...

--Lucky

[johnkadner]

hooray for the genius'



one thing, pulling the headlight fuse doesn't cut off the taillight.

 lucky, could you read over your kill switch instructions and see if it is right, i am going to try this tomorrow, and i am somewhat electrically inept.  and then i can tell you where the little thing in your pocket goes!

[johnkadner]

because if i am reading it right, you are soldering the blue'black and the switched red/white to the hot red/white.


 is this right?

[Lucky]

with ign on, kill switch OFF:

Cut the r/w wire WITHOUT power 3/4 inch from the kill switch

cut blue /black from start button, AT the start button

solder the cut R/W to from the switch, to the Blue/Black wire

then:

SKIN BACK the R/W wire still connected to the kill switch. (the one that has power with the ign on and the kill switch off)

STRIP the end of the R/W leading into the harness.
(your tapping this wire in to bypass the kill switch in the start/run circut)

Solder the 2 R/W wires together.

if you need I can email you a diagram

--Lucky

[Lucky]

The gold "L" shaped piece i'm refering to fits either over or under the black plastic shield. it has a screw hold opp the little tab.  so i need to know, does the tab face up or down, and does the tab face in towds the bar or it it turned facing the steering stem or out toward the grip..
Thanks
--Lucky

[johnkadner]

ok, i think i figured it out, i forgot that  when you cut something you get two pieces!  i.e. two r/w wires.

[johnkadner]

i think the part you are talking about is the one that holds the wires down as they come out of the switch box. the tab points up(towards you) and it screws into that big black plastic piece.


  well, this little trick works good.  the tailights are still on, but i guess i can deal with that another way.

[johnkadner]

running the bike without the headlight on takes a big burden off of the battery.  i was able to start the bike four times in a couple of hour ride, and still had 12.34 volts in the battery. also, starting seems easier.


 maybe that 80/100 watt lightbulb isn't such a good idea.

[Lucky]

If your stator was working, the headlight wouldn't be a problem. although any reduction in amprage will help the starter spin faster, particuarly on the 82's.
Even though the starter button turns the headlight off when pushed, it seems to make a differance anyway.
--Lucky

[Free-Vision]

Yo

Are you guys sure the bike will pass inspection w/out a working kill switch?

[johnkadner]

no inspections of any kind in wisconsin!!!!